Understanding
by AnkoStone
Summary: Romania has been chosen as an art because of his eye color, and is kidnapped in order to fulfill that role. However, Bulgaria won't let that happen. The Blood Bank x Hetalia crossover no one asked for.


Time was sort of a lost concept on Dimitrov, even before the whole ordeal had taken place. He could read the time on a clock, but he couldn't feel it. Hours could pass, and he wouldn't have moved at all, only to see the sun dipping behind the horizon, and wondering how in the world he could have lost so much time.

Dimitrov wish he could have made that same exception here, his arms tied behind his back, staring at the tearful face of his best friend. Thirteen year old Vladimir Popescu, with rare red eyes that he knew were the sole reasons why this was happening to him.

Dimitrov had tried to reason that it wasn't his fault, but the redhead had refused to listen, and simply hoped he could cry so hard that he would ruin his eyes. The kidnappers had taken into consideration that they might try to harm them, in an effort to get out of this, and therefore tied the boys up to preserve the red orbs.

Dimitrov wasn't sure why he was tied up though, He could never imagine hurting the boy, even in an effort to save his life.

His mouth was dry, he probably hadn't spoken in a while. Dimitrov wished he could move closer to Vladimir, to offer some sort of comfort. The Bulgarian wasn't any good with his words, but he knew all of Vladimir's calming methods. Afterall, he had been through these tantrums before. But this one was different. There was no point that crying was too exhausting. There was no apology that could fix this fear. This was an unending cycle of confusion and terror that neither boy could shake. Though the Bulgarian seemed calm, he was constantly on the verge of his own tears, of his own crying out, but he was more disciplined in this than Vladimir was. The sap was a cry baby, but anyone in this situation would be reacting the same way.

"How long do you think we've been here?" Dimitrov asked, clearing his throat. They had been on the road for hours it seemed. The back of the van was spacious, but would jump wildly at every bump in the road. It might have been fun for two teen boys, had they been in this willingly.

"It must be close to dinner time, since I'm hungry…" Dimitrov concluded aloud, trying to sound nonchalant, trying to be brave for the frightened Vladimir. The Romanian looked up, his eyes puffy from crying so much, and rubbed raw around the skin from wiping the tears away with the knee of his jeans, which were folded up right to his face.

"I'm hungry too." Vladimir whimpered. His hair had been pulled back into a small ponytail, his mom insisting, since it was hot. Thinking about the heat, Dimitrov was reminded about how stuffy the van was, and how he longed for air. If it was close to dinner, that meant they had been in the car for a good four hours. No wonder his body was no longer cramping, it had probably grown used to the position.

"Maybe they'll feed us soon, they can't starve us." The teen concluded, before looking towards the front of the vehicle. He couldn't see anything, but he knew he could grab their attention by kicking the metal sheet. His legs were tied, but he was in a position where he could roll on his back and slam his feet into it. He knew because that was what the first amount of time had been spent doing.

"No! I don't want them back here!" Vladimir cried, stopping Dimitrov from lying down. Vladimir wished he had his arms. He wanted to hold himself. He felt miserable in his position. He felt like a tied up animal.

"Okay…" Dimitrov said, before silence fell among them once more. The Bulgarian looked down at himself, and thought about time. Four hours. It felt longer. It felt like they had been there for days, the only distraction being Vladimir's sobs and the drumming of the engine.

However, what felt like minutes passed, when the van suddenly stopped again. Both boys looked at each other, full of fear, when they heard two doors shut. Dimitrov wished he had been closer to Vladimir. He could protect him. He knew they didn't want him though, so they would have no problem ridding themselves of him. The Bulgarian figured the only reason he was even being dragged along was because they were best friends. Dimitrov would keep him quiet, he could be used as a threat.

The back doors opened, and they were met with the faces of their kidnappers. They didn't look like kidnappers, Dimitrov thought. One looked like a dad, and the other like a mom. Maybe they were together? Maybe they wouldn't hurt them? But those thoughts went away when a knife was brought out.

The man stepped in the back, and stalked towards Vladimir, who grew hysterical again. Dimitrov tried to tell him to back off, but was interrupted by the woman.

"He's going to cut off the ropes!" She said. She sounded frightened, as if she didn't want to be doing this, but Dimitrov couldn't feel any sympathy for that, because she was doing it.

"Don't hurt me." Vladimir begged, but his thrashing seized. The ropes were cut by the man, and Vladimir's first action was to run towards Dimitrov, and wrap his arms around him.

"Don't hurt us!" He now cried. Dimitrov looked up at the man. He wasn't as nice looking as the woman. He was scary, and it didn't help that he had a scar across the top of his forehead.

"Move." The man told Vladimir, leaning down to cut Dimitrov free. The teen sniffed, before doing as he was told, stepping aside so the ropes could be slashed. When the Bulgarian was finally out of his restraints, he was again embraced by Vladimir. Dimitrov happily returned the hug.

"Jan," The woman said, looking up at the other. Dimitrov watched them, as they exchanged sorry looks. Neither of them wanted to do this, it seemed. He wondered if he could convince them to let them go, or in the very least Vladimir. Vladimir's eyes were rare, but maybe he could trick them into thinking he was something strange too?

"Where are we?" Dimitrov asked, looking towards the woman. She seemed the most sympathetic, and the easier one to talk to.

"We're in-"

"Bell." Jan said, stopping the woman. The blonde lady grew quiet, before looking back at Dimitrov.

"Come out, we have food for you." She said. Dimitrov narrowed his eyes, but Vladimir seemed to perk up a bit. Even in a situation like this, his attention span was short and his common sense was about the same too.

"They don't trust us, just throw it in and let's go." Jan said, walking towards the end of the van and hopping out.

"Wait!" Dimitrov yelled out, grabbing the attention of everyone. He allowed himself the luxury of pretending like he had no idea what he should be doing. Even Vladimir wasn't sure if it was a good idea to go out, but he longed to breath real air, and Dimitrov didn't think he could stand sitting in the van one more moment.

Dimitrov stood up, despite his legs screaming at him not to, he had no idea how Vladimir had been able to move so suddenly after being untied, and lifted Vladimir up with him, who clung to his arm both protectively and fearfully. They started to walk towards the end, and Dimitrov could feel a summer's breeze hit his skin, and he finally took a breath of unstable air. He was helped down by the woman, though he wondered if she was only holding his arm to make sure he didn't run away, while Jan helped Vladimir, who as soon as he was on the ground, went right back to holding Dimitrov.

"We have sandwiches for you, and juice," Bell said, holding out two paper sacks. Dimitrov eyed it carefully, but his reluctance was washed away by the growl of his stomach, and he turned slightly pink.

"Can we eat outside?" Dimitrov asked, and the woman smiled.

"Of course." She said, handing the sacks to the boys. Dimitrov took both of theirs, since Vladimir refused to accept anything from them. Jan groaned loudly.

"This is just going to make us late. We have to get to France to get to England for red eyes." Jan said, which highly offended Vladimir.

"I have a name." The boy spat, but was quickly silenced by Dimitrov's warning glare.

"And I have a schedule." Jan retaliated, before standing back up. He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, and placed it in his mouth, lighting it.

"Vladimir has asthma, you can't smoke." Dimitrov spoke up. The man looked unconcerned, before seeing Vladimir cough. He rolled his eyes, walking further away. Dimitrov watched him carefully.

"I swear, if we're late, Bell…" Jan starter, but the woman cut him off just as both boys began to pull out the food made for them.

"We'll tell them we got held up in Amsterdam dropping the taller one off." She explained simply. But those words made Dimitrov's blood run cold.

"What do you mean?" He asked, and Bell looked confused at first, before realizing what she had said.

"Wait, shoot-" But she had been caught.

"No way, you're not separating us!" Dimitrov yelled, standing up, grabbing Vladimir's arm, who rose too.

"Don't run!" Bell yelled, but it was too late, both Vladimir and Dimitrov took off, holding each other's hands tightly. They heard swearing from behind them, but they refused to look back, refused to stop. Vladimir was crying again, but Dimitrov was determined. Where were they? They seemed so isolated, how could there be no other people around?

"Help!" Dimitrov screamed, begging for anyone to hear them, as his heart paced in time to the rhythm of his feet. But it wasn't enough. Vladimir was suddenly jerked from his hands.

"Damn brats." Jan said, panting heavily, as he held the Romanian tightly. Dimitrov turned around.

"No, go!" Vladimir yelled, before biting Jan. The man yelled out, but Vladimir only succeeded in being thrown to the ground.

"Vlad!" Dimitrov screamed, running to his side, bending down next to him. The boy whimpered, before pushed at Dimitrov.

"No, go, go!" Vladimir yelled, but Dimitrov couldn't even react, a strong hand grabbing the collar of his shirt, and pulling him away.

"Her loose mouth will be the death of me…" The man said, before grabbing Vladimir in the same fashion. Dimitrov couldn't stop himself from crying now. They had been so close, but he hadn't been fast enough. Now they were going to be taken away, to who knows where.

Vladimir was crying too, much louder than Dimitrov, and much more angry.

"Why are you doing this? My eyes are just red!" The boy begged. But if that was where Vladimir was going, what were they doing with him?

Bell looked apologetic when Jan dragged them back, but it wasn't for the boys.

"I'm sorry brother, it was an accident." She said, grabbing his arm. The man sighed, before dropping the two.

"Please, I'll be good, just let Dimi stay with me." Vladimir pleaded, appealing to the woman, grabbing her dress lightly. She looked down at him with sorry eyes, before looking away.

"He isn't special like you. I promise, he will live a good life, he will be given the best job, and will be placed in a good sanction…"

"You're lying!" Vladimir interrupted. He whimpered quietly as the woman tried to calm him, but she was useless.

"Move." Dimitrov said darkly, stepping towards his friend. Vladimir collapsed into his hold, and sobbed into his shoulders. Bell looked towards Jan, but he held no compassion.

"Put them back in there, we have to go." He stated, before heading towards the front of the van. Bell sighed, before opening the back of the van.

"Please, just, just do this." She asked.

"We're people, like you. If we don't do this, it's our lives. This way, we all live." She promised. Dimitrov didn't care. He wanted both of them dead for what they were doing to them. Vladimir didn't deserve-

"Okay…" The Romanian said, cutting off Dimitrov's thoughts. Green eyes grew wide as Vladimir stepped towards the van.

"Vlad, no!" Dimitrov yelled, but the boy looked back at him with sad eyes.

"They don't deserve to die." He said simply, before crawling into the van. Anger ran through Dimitrov. They could run again. They could find help, why was he just giving in over the safety of his kidnappers?!

Refusing to leave Vladimir behind, Dimitrov crawled in after him, and went back to his own side. He angrily looked away from Vladimir as the doors were shut. At least they hadn't tied them up.

"Dimi…." Vladimir said quietly, but Dimitrov stayed silent, refusing to look his way.

"Don't waste our last time together being stupidly stubborn!" Vladimir yelled, his red eyes burning with tears. Dimitrov looked back at him, his own tears now falling.

"We could have ran!" Dimitrov yelled.

"They don't want to die!" Vladimir fired back, gesturing towards the front of the van.

"They kidnapped us, Vlad! They're selling you to be some novelty, and they're probably going to send me off to the slums so no one will ever believe me, and I'll never be able to find you and…" Dimitrov was cut off by Vladimir suddenly appearing in his face. He hadn't even seen the other crawl over.

"Dimi, I'll find you." Vladimir promised, his eyes shining bright.

"Whether they put you in the slums or in the sanctions, I'll find you." He promised. Dimitrov felt like their roles had been switched, as he watched as Vladimir did his best to comfort the distressed Bulgarian. He closed his eyes, and tried to not sob.

"I'll always look for you too, Vlad." He promised. Wherever he ended up, he would never stop looking for him, even if it meant breaking all of the rules, he would be with Vladimir again one day.

The Romanian climbed onto the other's lap, and wrapped his arms around him in a hug. The position was awkward, but Dimitrov didn't even care. He just wanted to be close. He buried his face in the other's neck, and Vladimir rested his chin on the other's head. It didn't feel like a goodbye, neither of them could fathom being away from each other for very long. Even though they were promised to be separated.

Dimitrov longed for time to stretch out, and to enjoy Vladimir's presence for as long as he could. But what seemed like moments to Dimitrov cut off his goodbye. And suddenly Vladimir was thrown off him, and Dimitrov was being dragged out by two masked people.

"No!" Dimitrov cried, but Vladimir was strong. Stronger than Dimitrov.

"I'll find you Dimi!" Vladimir promised again, before the van doors were shut. Dimitrov continued to stare at the van though, fighting off strong arms.

"He's to be taken to farm 90 for installation, put him with Human 093 and 087." Said one of the people holding him.

"Vladimir." Dimitrov whispered out, when the van finally drove away. He didn't hear at all what was being said around him, or where he was going to go. He simply repeated that one promise in his head.

"I'll find you."


End file.
